UK grant · Northern Ireland Office
Connect Fund
£300 to £50,000 Closes 18 December 2026
Official listing and how to apply
Source: Find a Grant (GOV.UK) · Last checked
Key facts
| Funder | Northern Ireland Office |
|---|---|
| Amount per award | £300 to £50,000 |
| Total funding available | £500,000 |
| Opens | 2 November 2026 |
| Closes | 18 December 2026 (38 days left) |
| Who can apply | Public sector and councils, Charities and non-profits |
| Applicant types listed | Public Sector; Non-profit; Local authority |
| Nation or region | National, England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, North East England, North West England, South East England, South West England, Midlands |
| Status | Open |
| Source | Find a Grant (GOV.UK) |
| Last checked | 10 November 2026 |
About this grant
Summary from the official listing on Find a Grant (GOV.UK):
The Connect Fund awards up to £2.55m to strengthen civic East-West collaboration on matters of shared interest, including mutual challenges and opportunities across a range of sectors that directly affect communities in Northern Ireland. The Government supports an inclusive United Kingdom and acknowledges the importance of bringing together community groups across the United Kingdom to better improve the lives of all communities in Northern Ireland. The Connect Fund will connect the great ideas, people and solutions in Northern Ireland with those across the United Kingdom to address mutual challenges and grasp shared opportunities.
Applications must have a clear East-West lens and deliver on one or more of the following objectives:
- Strengthen East-West connections by developing long lasting civic relationships;
- Propose an original approach to developing East-West connections;
- Support the development of cultural, sports and people-to-people links;
- Build leadership capability opportunities for community leaders on an East-West basis; or
- Facilitate positive and constructive dialogue on shared opportunities/challenges facing communities in the UK;
Applicants can bid for projects from £300 to £50,000. Funding can be provided for both standalone/one off projects (e.g. attending a conference or facilitating a visit) or for a more recurrent project (e.g. establishing a UK-wide forum for community organisations). Funding, however, must be fully drawn down during 2027/28.
Round 3 application window will run from 2 November until 18 December and the delivery window will run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028.
Eligibility
Applications are welcome from the voluntary and community sector, civic society and national representative bodies including for underrepresented voices. Applicants and partners must be formally established for public benefit and not-for-profit organisations. You can apply if your organisation is a voluntary or community organisation, registered charity, constituted group or club, not-for-profit company or Community Interest Company or a statutory body.
The Connect Fund will support East-West engagement and applications can be submitted for both standalone activities and also longer term proposals that facilitate ongoing engagement between civic organisations on a national and sectoral level. Funding can also be requested to enhance pre-existing projects taking place on an East-West basis or to establish new opportunities for engagement.
Capital costs and core operation costs would not be eligible for funding under the scheme. We also cannot accept applications from: individuals or sole traders, organisations based outside the UK, companies who pay profits to directors, shareholders or members, including companies limited by shares, or organisations that have an ongoing application. Please note this list is not exhaustive. Staffing costs can be considered where directly ascribable to the delivery of a project, however, this must not exceed 20% of the total cost of the project.
Further eligibility criteria includes:
- Proposals must demonstrate that the activities directly benefit Northern Ireland. Activities are not restricted by location and can occur in NI or GB provided stakeholders from Northern Ireland are involved.
- NI applicants must be engaging with a partner in GB as part of their project/proposal (exceptions may be accepted if proposal is for a standalone activity; for example, attending a conference);
- GB applicants must be engaging with a partner in NI as part of their project/proposal
- Applications from national representative bodies must engage with partners/organisations in both NI and GB;
- If you want to apply for a new grant, you must wait until your current grant is closed. Organisations may only submit one ‘live’ application for funding (this means that several proposals cannot be submitted from an organisation while they await the outcome of their application or, where successful, until the project is complete);
- Organisations already in receipt of UKG funding are eligible to apply for this grant.
- If applying as a non-statutory b
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